The Red Umbrella
by RunnyBabbits
Summary: Based completely on the short film, "The Blue Umbrella" from Pixar. This time though, it focuses on Alfred and Arthur meeting under the umbrellas. USUK


Rain was pouring down on the Parisian streets as the mass of people and the mass of umbrellas moved quickly across them as the street lights signaled that they could cross. Amidst the black and white umbrellas a blue one stuck up defiantly. Its owner grinned from under the umbrella, loving the hustle and bustle after working hours. Alfred didn't particularly mind the rain, but he enjoyed using his blue umbrella nonetheless. It was hilarious seeing his vivid blue umbrella being the only one that stood out among the sea of dull colors.

Despite the gray weather, and hidden faces, everything around him seemed to be smiling, even the traffic light that had now turned red. Alfred paused, balancing himself on his heels. He turned to look around again, waiting for that smiling traffic light to change. He looked to his right, past the other people, noticing that the pipes running along the frame of a store had an opening that looked like it was grinning. He chuckled to himself. Maybe it was just the dreariness of his surroundings that made his imagination filled with happy expressions from inanimate objects. He glanced to his left, and what he saw surprised him. When did a red umbrella pop up next to him? Knowing it was rude to stare, he looked back at the street light, which hadn't changed yet.

He couldn't deny his curiosity though, and looked back at the umbrella, to the person holding it. He saw an unruly head of hair. Underneath the disheveled blond hair, the man's eyes were closed, and his mouth turned up in a slight smile. Alfred found himself unable to look away from that smile, and started to raise the corners of his own lips. Here was another person who enjoyed the rain and disobeying the unofficial rule of dull umbrellas.

The person's eyes snapped open, and jerked towards Alfred, startling him out of his reverie. He turned his head back, embarrassed that he had been caught staring. They were both looking straight ahead, and definitely not at each other before Alfred felt the same gaze aimed at him. He shifted slightly, hesitant to check if the person under the umbrella was really looking at him. He quickly turned, but that only made the other look away, turning his red umbrella around too.

Alfred couldn't resist looking back again though, but when he finally had the man's attention again, a hard gust of wind blew, and almost tore his umbrella away from him. When he had it back into its normal position though, the guy had already turned away.

Alfred closed his eyes and sighed disappointedly. He still had his eyes closed when the light had changed back to white and the person with the red umbrella was walking away from him.

He was sharply jostled forcing to open his eyes. Seeing that the person was walking away from him, he caught up, and shyly looked at him again. He had soft looking hair that covered his charmingly large eyebrows. His eyes were a refreshing green, as vivid as the color of his umbrella, and the long coat he was wearing seemed to show off his slender frame. Alfred was returned a tentative smile, as they both looked at each other.

Someone carrying a black and white umbrella stepped between them, and they were separated by more people.

Alfred's mouth turned down disappointedly, but he knew that he had to hurry home. He looked back once more to see the red umbrella going further away from him, before walking down the metro station. His umbrella jerked again, blown by the wind, this time so hard that it flew out of his gloved hands.

He watched, stunned for a few seconds as it drifted peacefully into the sky. Oh no. No no no no no. The rain was seriously pouring down now, and he only had to go down to the metro to be sheltered from the rain until her got home, but somehow, he couldn't bear the thought of buying a new umbrella. Chances were, he wouldn't be able to find a blue one.

He ran after the umbrella, and it almost faded from sight as it flew further and further away, and the rain stung his eyes. He was getting drenched now, but he didn't care, running after the bright umbrella.

It got blown to a corner, and Alfred lost sight of it momentarily.

He found the blue umbrella battered and dirty on the ground, but it was still in good condition. He glanced around him as he picked it up, noticing that the pipes didn't seem so jolly anymore. He didn't feel all that happy either, after being nearly run over by a car in his frenzy to locate his flying umbrella.

He crouched miserably, soaking wet and cold. At least he didn't lose his unique umbrella.

Looking down, he notice there was a pair of red boots in front of him, and they weren't moving.

Alfred slowly looked up, and saw that the owner of those red boots was also the one who held the red umbrella.

He looked worried, and his green eyes had an anxious streak in them. He held out a red gloved hand to Alfred, hesitantly, but openly.

Alfred reached up to grab the offered hand and hauled himself up, not losing the gaze he had on those green eyes.

"Nice to meet you again, stranger," the green-eyed fellow said to Alfred. "My name's Arthur. Let's find a café first before you tell me why you're sitting here in the street, shall we?"

Alfred nodded in wonder, enjoying the man's accent. It hadn't sounded French. They found a café near them, and took a table outside in the rain, both still carrying their umbrellas. Alfred learned that Arthur liked his red umbrella as much as he loved his blue one. He watched him laugh when he told him that he was chasing his umbrella across several streets. "I'm glad I did though," Alfred told Arthur. "Otherwise I probably wouldn't have seen you again."

Arthur smiled, unknowingly drawing Alfred to that _smile._

"Perhaps," he said. "Although, it was rather strange to see you kneeling there when I thought you were going the opposite direction."

"I was shocked too, to see you looming over me like a lost, evil overlord," Alfred laughed.

Arthur raised a thick eyebrow. "Look who's talking."

In truth, Arthur had looked much more like an angel offering him a ticket to Heaven when he'd reached out his hands.

"So will I see you again after this?" Alfred asked hopefully.

"If you'd like, I don't see why not. Next time though, let's meet up when it's not raining."

6 Months Later~

"Dude, I told you to bring an umbrella with you," Alfred said to the man in front of him.

"I didn't think it would rain," Arthur complained, taking the red umbrella he was offered.

Alfred rolled his eyes. "That's rich, coming from someone who forgot his own birthday."

"Hey, it was-"

"Doesn't this kinda reminds you of that day, when we first met?" Alfred asked, cutting him off. He smiled at the flustered man. "Who knew that my umbrella brought us together?"

"That was because you didn't hold onto it tightly enough," Arthur grumbled.

"Well, I'm sure glad I didn't! Otherwise I wouldn't have met someone as cute as you!" Alfred said cheerfully, slipping his hand into Arthur's.

"Let's get home already, you sappy git." Arthur scolded him, but relaxed into his hold nonetheless. Around them, the buildings seemed to be smiling at them, or so Alfred felt. He tightened his grip on Arthur's slim hand and was rewarded with a squeeze back. The two walked on in the sea of black and white umbrellas, carrying the same bright umbrellas that had brought them together half a year ago.


End file.
